The Cross Enterprises lobby had never been this loud.
Reporters packed the marble floor in tight rows, camera rigs jutting above their heads like metal spears. Boom mics bristled along the front. Flashbulbs popped in irregular bursts as if the room itself were stuttering. Security had set up barricades and a neatly arranged bank of podiums, but tension hummed past every polished surface.
On the main screen behind the podium, the Cross logo glowed in stark white. Beneath it, a simple line of text:
STATEMENT ON INTERNAL SECURITY BREACH & DEFAMATION CASES
Alexander stood off to the side, expression sharp and composed. Casey and Cameron flanked him, both in suits for once—though Cameron’s tie was crooked and Casey’s top button was open. Mya stood slightly back, calm and steady, a quiet anc
